


These Are Trusted Hands

by knightswhosay



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, most pairings are only one-sided/implied/or past longings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 22:55:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4117759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightswhosay/pseuds/knightswhosay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Focuses on the captains’ responses to romance in their lives–whether that’s someone crushing on them, them crushing on someone else, or just the crushes between other teammates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Are Trusted Hands

Yukio closes his eyes and counts to ten. It’s what his mother had taught him to do when he was little, when his anger had first started getting away from him. It doesn’t always work and he doesn’t always use it, but this is important. Besides, he’s not sure he’s just angry, but anger is easier to deal with than all of the thoughts lurking at the edge of his brain.

Kise is looking down at him like he’s trying not to look nervous. Yukio is perhaps more perceptive than Kise gives him credit for, but this expression is easily readable; he experiences it quite a lot himself.

He’s been confessed to before, but never from a guy and never from anyone of Kise’s popularity. He’s not sure this affects anything, but it’s hard enough rejecting someone he doesn’t know, much less someone he does know, much less Kise. Yukio’s pretty sure even the straight guys on the team would have trouble saying no to Kise, and the only way Yukio manages to refuse any of Kise’s requests is by harnessing his anger’s power.

He doesn’t know why Kise’s doing this and wishes he wasn’t, even if he’s not very surprised. He does not look at Kise’s face. “Kise, I’m the captain of the basketball team. Your team. A team that is trying to win the Winter Cup. What are you expecting?”

“But, Senpai—”

“This isn’t a romantic comedy. I don’t have the time to date anyone and neither do you. Even if I accepted, our life wouldn’t change.”

“But—”

Yukio bows, like he has to the few girls who have confessed to him, and said, like a robot, “I’m sorry, but I’m currently dedicating myself to leading my club.” He straightens and walks away.

–

The image of Riko and Kiyoshi kissing, albeit chastely, is burned into his retinas and will be so forever. Hyuuga rolls over in bed.

–

Shouichi is nearly drunk. Not quite, but nearly and it’s a good thing the grocery’s nearby his family’s apartment, or else there’d be no restocked fridge come morning. He grabs a few more things and puts them in the basket before turning into the next aisle.

He sees bubble-gum pink hair and her name is out of his mouth before he can stop himself. She turns.

“Imayoshi-san.”

He blinks a few times, then says, “Whatcha doin’ here?” He winces.

She giggles a bit, which is weird because, while he’s seen her do that a lot, it’s never been directed towards him. “Picking up a few things on the way home. Dai-chan—” she coughs and he smirks, “Aomine-kun and I both live near here. I guess you do too?”

“Yeah.” He looks at her for a moment and considers telling her what he’s thinking: that she’s brilliant, that she’s beautiful, that she really should be considered one of the miracles too. He rejects them; he doesn’t want to put anything like that on her shoulders, especially if he’d be confessing not completely sober. He says instead, “I really appreciate how much you’ve helped the team.”

She looks back at him, slightly bemused. “Of course, Imayoshi-san. They’re my team too.”

“I mean,  _I_  appreciate it.”

“Oh,” she says and nothing else, but Shouichi remembers that one reason he likes her so much is how clever she is and that from that, she’s probably guessed what he knows—that he’s joined the legions of teenagers attracted to Momoi Satsuki.

“Do you need me to walk you home?” he asks, imagining himself as the gallant white knight, laying down cloaks for ladies. He acknowledges the irony.

“Do you need  _me_  to walk  _you_  home?” she asks. He smiles.

“I’ll be fine, thanks.” He grabs the final thing on the list and turns to the checkout counter. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Shouichi-senpai..”

His brain registers what she says, but by the time he looks back, she’s gone.

–

Seijuro used to notice Shintarou’s gaze on him during Shogi matches, but after a time he stopped. Now he suddenly feels all of his teammates’ eyes on him and doesn’t know if it’s the same, doesn’t know how long it’s been there, but he doesn’t have time to stop and find out—he has a game to win. But maybe, afterward, he can sit down and try to figure out what it all means.

–

Years ago, Shuuzou had watched Akashi and was afraid. Now, he watches the game below with a certain detachment. He feels relieved.

–

Makoto makes a face when Furuhashi accuses him of liking Kiyoshi, but continues practicing shooting.

“What? Aren’t you going to deny it?”

Makoto turns to face him and clasps his hands together. “Oh, Furuhashi-kun,” he trills in falsetto, “Isn’t Teppei-kun so handsome? And kind? And hard-working? Oh, isn’t he just the perfect man?” He stares at Furuhashi like he’s an idiot before saying, “Is that what you were expecting me to say, Stupid?”

Furuhashi shrugs, which makes Makoto want to throttle him, but when Furuhashi next speaks, Makoto can detect a note of disappointment in his voice. “Well, Iron Heart certainly likes you. Shouldn’t you at least make use of it?”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Makoto snaps and turns back to the container of balls. He grabs one and shoots, watching as it hits the backboard and falls into the hoop.

Later, when he’s far away from all his fucking teammates, he wonders if Kiyoshi does like him and if there’s a way he can make use of it in the future.

-

Kenichi looks into the mirror as he walks past it, wishing he got a fourth as many love letters as Himuro. Masako calls him and he straightens and looks straight ahead as he walks out to the court.

–

Taisuke pauses as the team files out of the locker room, letting the rest of the team pass him. The tournament is finally over. The team isn’t as dejected as they were yesterday, but the mood is quiet, empty.

In front of him, Takao pokes Midorima and says something. Midorima turns red and slaps his hand away.

Miyaji notices he’s dropped back and drops back in turn to join him. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

Taisuke watches Takao say something else and gesture with large arm movements. His hand lands on Midorima’s shoulder where it stays for just a moment too long before sliding off. Taisuke is not sure Midorima even notices it. He sighs.

“Fucking brats,” Miyaji says.

“They’re not our problem anymore,” Taisuke says and suddenly he feels lighter. He is no longer captain. He does not have to be the role model, does not have to always be the responsible one.

“Hey, isn’t that your sister?” Miyaji says, pointing at a young girl further down the hallway waving at random people.

“Crap! Why’s she alone? I’ve got to go get her.” Taisuke runs past the team and to his sister. He leans down and scolds her for leaving their mother.


End file.
